Jonathan Biggins marks Keating’s 30th anniversary as PM in The Gospel According to Paul

Video: Comic actor Jonathan Biggins slips on the Zegna suit to play former prime minister Keating in his one-man show The Gospel According to Paul.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Paul Keating’s ascension to become Prime Minister – and comic actor Jonathan Biggins is still spreading the word to the faithful.

However, Biggins’ one-man show The Gospel According to Paul is also designed to tickle the funny bones of congregations from all political denominations.

Jonathan Biggins in The Gospel According to Paul. Picture: Brett Boardman

The play, presented by State Theatre Company of SA, had its origin in sketches Biggins performed as part of long-running Sydney show the Wharf Revue, which also toured to Adelaide as part of past Cabaret Festivals.

“We did Bob (Hawke) and Paul in the old people’s home … we did Kevin Rudd in The Sound of Music with Paul as the mother superior,” Biggins recalled.

“Then I thought it would be good to do a theatrical biography, because he’s such an entertaining and easy-to-write-for character.”

Love him or hate him, Keating offered strong leadership, Biggins said.

“People of all political persuasions would grudgingly say that at least Keating did what he said he was going to do.

“He was a leader in the true sense of the word … some people would argue that he made some moves that have given us the neoliberal globalised economy of today.”

Jonathan Biggins in The Gospel According to Paul. Picture: Thomas McCammon

Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating.

Biggins said Mr Keating was initially opposed to the idea of the monologue, until a mutual friend brought him to see a Wharf Revue sketch in 2018.

“He looked around at the response and thought, ‘Oh, they still like me … yeah, go ahead, do it’.”

The Gospel According to Paul is at the Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide, from April 19 until May 1. Book at BASS

The show then moves to the Arts Centre Melbourne from May 11 to 23.